The Untold Truth of Neil Armstrong’s Wife – Carol Held Knight

Who is Carol Held Knight?

Carol Held was born in 1945, in the United States of America, and is best known for being the second wife of astronaut Neil Armstrong. Her husband was the first man to ever walk on the moon, and so one of the most recognized astronauts in history.

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The Net Worth of Carol Held Knight

As of early-2020, Carol Held Knight’s net worth is estimated to be over $8 million, mainly attributed through an inheritance she gained after the passing of her husband. Her husband went on many space missions, also leading him to gain considerable wealth through the job, as well as from public appearances in later life.

Life and Romance

Carol was raised by her parents, living a life mostly away from the spotlight. She married a man named Ralph Knight, and the couple apparently had a happy marriage and two children before her husband was killed in a ‘plane crash in 1989, leaving her and her two teenage children. Her husband managed a construction company then based in Cincinnati, and with her husband’s passing, she decided to take over the family business while also taking care of the children.

Three years later she met Armstrong at a golf tournament, both invited there as a set-up by mutual friends, he as a celebrity participant of course.

The two didn’t talk a lot due to Carol being nervous about talking to a celebrity, but despite this the two connected, and a few weeks later he contacted her. The two built a friendship over the coming months, leading to a relationship. At the time, Armstrong was still married, though he had already separated from his wife and was heading to a divorce. He and Carol married a few months after his divorce.

Husband – Neil Armstrong

Neil is of Scottish, Irish and German ancestry. He grew up in Wapakoneta, Ohio alongside two younger siblings.

His father worked with the state government, and due to this the family moved in various parts of the state during Neil’s youth. He developed a love for flying brought about by the constant traveling, and his father taking him to watch the Cleveland Air Races. His father was also a pilot, and he experienced his first flight with his father, getting hooked.

He attended Blume High School, and while a student began taking flying lessons, and at 16 years old he flew solo. He was also very active with the Boy Scouts of America. After matriculating from high school, he enrolled at Purdue University where he took up a degree in aeronautical engineering, choosing that over the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as advised by his relatives.

After two years of study, he went on another two years of flight training, before serving in the US Navy for a year, then returning to school and completing his bachelor’s degree.

Military Career

In 1949, Armstrong joined the US Navy as a midshipman, began training and then carryiedout solo missions over the next few years. He became a naval aviator and was assigned to an all-jet squadron, making him the youngest officer to join the VF-51. He was promoted a year later to ensign and began piloting ground-attack aircraft. He served during the Korean War as a reconnaissance plane escort, and then served in bombers where he battled against anti-aircraft fire.

During one occasion, he lost control of his plane due to wing damage, but was able to get back to friendly territory before ejecting. He flew nearly 80 missions in Korea, and was awarded numerous medals for his service.

Following the completion of his degree, he became an experimental test pilot working for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), becoming a project pilot for many fighter planes such as the Century Series. In 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was established, and he became one of its first employees after it absorbed NACA.

The Famous Space Flight

After serving on the crew of three Gemini manned flights and two Apollo flights, he had grown to become a reputable trusted astronaut at NASA. In 1969 after a meeting between executives, he was chosen to be a part of the mission to the moon, due to his experience and skill. He became the commander of Apollo 11, and had a great launch despite initial concerns for the volume of their launch compared to previous missions. Their objective was to land on the moon, and he took control of the spaceship after deeming their initial landing spot unsafe.

On 20 July 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the moon, and he became the first person to walk on it. He had prepared his famous line “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” before the launch, declared on many stations worldwide. The successful mission checked the ability of people to operate on the surface of the moon. After their return home, he became a celebrity and was invited to numerous radio as well as television programs. After leaving the service, he took on a career as a teacher, and also went on other expeditions.

Personal Life

Carol and Neil had two marriages in Ohio, the first being a more intimate one while the second was a more lavish affair at California’s San Ysidro Ranch. They then built their first home in California, and lived there for a number before eventually moving to Indian Hill, Ohio; they didn’t have children. During the latter part of his career, Neil was offered a chance at politics by many of his previous co-workers, but he declined the offers, having no interest in pursuing that field. He passed away in 2012 from complications after surgery to treat coronary artery disease.